Speechless
by sunset by the sea
Summary: The bard finds herself at a loss for words-literally-thanks to Aphrodite's matchmaking efforts
1. Chapter 1

Aphrodite stretched out on her pink satin sheets and sighed aloud, "I am so bored

Aphrodite stretched out on her pink satin sheets and sighed aloud, "I am so bored. There hasn't been anything interesting going on around here in like, forever. Just the same old boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, yada, yada, yada. I need a challenge, something fun," she giggled. "And a new manicure," she mused while glancing at her nails.

Meanwhile, on a nondescript hill not far from the town of Boeotia, Gabrielle and Xena were enjoying a tasty lunch of fresh fish while Argo grazed nearby. Gabrielle absently picked at her food as she gazed out at the surrounding landscape. "Are you going to eat that," Xena asked. "No, go ahead," Gabrielle replied. "Guess I'm not really that hungry." Xena speared the fish onto her plate and then studied her friend's face. "Something wrong?"

Gabrielle slowly shook her head, "No, not really. Well, I don't know. Nothing's really wrong, it's just.." Gabrielle trailed off. "Just what?" Xena asked. "You know you can talk to me about anything right?" Xena gently laid her hand over Gabrielle's and squeezed it reassuringly.

Gabrielle smiled at her friend's touch. "I know. Sometimes it's just hard to find the words." "Since when do you have trouble finding words?" Xena joked. "You always know the right thing to say in any situation." _If only that were true_, thought Gabrielle. Out loud she said, "Well, maybe even us bards have off days. Maybe if I didn't spend the majority of my time fighting side by side with a certain someone, I would have more time to harness my creative abilities." "Oh, I see how it is. I'm getting in the way of your real calling. Is that why you were doing all that talking in your sleep last night, because you don't have time to write during the day?" Xena said as she playfully nudged Gabrielle's shoulder.

"Haha. Very funny. I do not talk in my sleep," Gabrielle countered. "Well, you sure were last night," laughed Xena. "Well," Gabrielle demanded, "if I was talking so much then tell me what I said" "Uh uh. That takes all the fun out of it. Let's just say it was quite interesting," Xena teased, her blue eyes dancing with mirth.

Gabrielle felt heat rising in her face as she thought about the dream she had had last night. The one about her and Xena. Together. What if Xena wasn't just joking? What if she had been talking aloud in her sleep? She quickly turned away to hide her flushed face. "Fine then. I'll just go clean out this skillet," she said as she jumped up and quickly began walking towards the river. "What? Was it something I said?" called Xena as she watched Gabrielle hurrying towards the river as if it would dry up if she didn't get there fast enough.

Aphrodite giggled as she watched this exchange from the top of the hill, "Oh, I know what your dream was about Gabrielle! You can't hide anything from the gods." She smiled to herself, "Hmm. This could be just the fun I was looking for."


	2. Chapter 2

Gabrielle scrubbed furiously at the skillet while muttering to herself, "I have got to get a grip

Gabrielle scrubbed furiously at the skillet while muttering to herself, "I have got to get a grip. If I react like that every time Xena jokes with me, she'll know something's up. Besides, I'm sure she didn't hear anything significant last night, even if I was talking in my sleep. She would have said something if she had, right?"

"Well, why don't you just ask her?" Gabrielle jumped as Aphrodite appeared behind her in a cloud of pink fairy dust.

"Geez Aphrodite! Just because you're a god doesn't mean its okay to sneak up on people like that!" Gabrielle lowered the skillet she had instinctively raised to defend herself. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I think a better question is, what are you doing? That skillet can't get much cleaner. What, or should I say who, are you trying to wash away with all that scrubbing?"

"Your unusually insightful today," smirked Gabrielle. "I have my moments," smiled Aphrodite, lightly tossing her blonde curls over her shoulder. "You still haven't answered my question Gabby. Seriously, what's going on with you and Xena?"

"There's nothing going on," sighed Gabrielle. "And I'm guessing that's the problem?" queried Aphrodite. Gabrielle stared at the ground, suddenly very interested in the weeds growing there, her silence saying everything. "Oh, how cute! Gabby has a crush on the warrior princess!" chuckled Aphrodite. "I do not have a crush on Xena!" Gabrielle's words came out with more force than she intended and she knew she sounded defensive.

"Hey, look, you'll get no judgment from me," replied the goddess. "Who doesn't have a crush on Xena? I mean, let's face it, that whole butt-kicking thing is totally hot." Gabrielle felt herself smiling in spite of herself. "Yeah, I've often thought that most people who meet Xena either want to kill her or kiss her, sometimes both"

Gabrielle's smile faded slightly as she continued talking, "But it's different with me and Xena. I know her better than anyone. I can see into her soul, past the tough façade she shows to others. No," lightly shaking her head, "what I feel for Xena is much more than some schoolgirl crush. I wish it were that simple."

"Maybe it's only complicated because you're making it that way. Have you tried telling Xena how you feel?" Aphrodite sat down on a large, smooth rock, crossing her long legs in front of her.

"You think I haven't thought of that? It's just so frustrating!" exclaimed Gabrielle in exasperation. "I'm a bard. Words are my forte. Xena's right. I've talked myself and her out of more situations than I can count." Gabrielle started pacing back and forth in front of the goddess as the words continued tumbling out. "I write about our life together in my scrolls but there is so much that I don't say, that I don't know how to say." Gabrielle suddenly stopped in her tracks. "I'm sorry to lay all this on you. I'm sure you have better things to do."

"Not really," shrugged Aphrodite. "Besides, who better to talk about relationship problems with than the goddess of love. Wait! That's it!" she suddenly exclaimed. "What's it?" questioned Gabrielle.

"You need a new approach, one you haven't tried before." "And what would that be? asked Gabrielle. "Show her how you feel," replied the goddess.

"You mean….no, no, I couldn't." The mere thought terrified Gabrielle. The idea of telling Xena was scary enough but to actually _show _her. She suddenly felt the urge to lean against a tree for support.

Aphrodite continued, seemingly oblivious to the fact that all the color had just drained from the bard's face. "You know Gabby, people can communicate things with their bodies that no words could ever express, if you know what I mean," Her eyes danced with mischief as she began to formulate a plan.

Gabrielle finally managed to regain her composure and hurriedly attempted to end the conversation. "Yeah, uh, thanks for listening Aphrodite. I really appreciate it but Xena and I are good. Things are fine just the way they are."

"Suit yourself," shrugged Aphrodite as Gabrielle turned and headed back towards the camp and Xena. "But, boy, are you in for a surprise!"


	3. Chapter 3

Gabrielle slowly trudged up the hill, unable to get Aphrodite's words out of her head. _Show her how you feel._ She could never do that, could she? Gabrielle stopped and stood gazing the figure of Xena which had come into view. Xena was stroking Argo's muzzle, a gesture so sweet and done with such affection that Gabrielle almost felt envious. She found herself unwittingly imagining herself running her hand lightly over Xena's cheek, moving her thumb down to trace it over her lips, leaning in….

_Stop it_, she silently chided herself. Just then Xena spotted her and waved. Gabrielle waved back as she once again began moving towards the warrior. "What took you so long?" asked Xena as Gabrielle approached. "I was just about to come find you. Thought maybe we could go for an early afternoon swim together."

Gabrielle opened her mouth to tell Xena about running into Aphrodite, although she had no intention of sharing the details of their conversation, but no sound came out. She tried again but once more found herself rendered speechless. It was like her vocal chords had suddenly quit working.

"Gabrielle, what's the matter?" Xena's voice was full of concern. Gabrielle again tried to speak, raising her hand to her throat. She swallowed hard and tried to clear her throat. Nothing. Panic began to set in as she realized she was completely unable to talk.

Xena placed her hands on both sides of Gabrielle's face. "Open your mouth," she instructed. Gabrielle obeyed and allowed Xena to peer into her mouth. "I don't see anything unusual. Does anything hurt?" Gabrielle shook her head no. "Did you meet someone when you were down by the river? Ares?" asked Xena, looking around hastily.

Gabrielle started to shake her head no again but stopped as realization hit her. Aphrodite. Aphrodite did this. _I am going to kill her. _Gabrielle did her best to mouth the word Aphrodite but Xena just looked at her quizzically. "Sorry, I guess I'm no good at lip-reading. "Wait a sec." Xena grabbed a scroll from the bard's pack and handed it to her. "Write it down." Gabrielle quickly scrawled Aphrodite's name on the parchment.

"What? Why on earth would Aphrodite take away your ability to speak? Aphrodite!" called Xena angrily. Gabrielle grabbed Xena's arm to get her attention and then wrote, _It's fine. Stay here. I'll be right back."_ After giving Xena what she hoped would pass for a reassuring smile, she turned and stalked off in the direction of the river.

As she neared the river she looked up at the heavens and yelled "Aphrodite" at the top of her lungs, surprised to hear her voice bouncing off the treetops. The goddess instantly appeared before her. "Something wrong Gabby?" Aprhodite said in her sweetest voice.

"My voice, it's back." Gabrielle breathed a huge sigh of relief and then remembered that the person responsible was standing in front of her. "I can't believe you Aphrodite! How could you take away my ability to speak? Is this your idea of a joke?"

"Just trying to make things a little more interesting," replied Aphrodite. "My life is plenty interesting without you interfering. At least you came to your senses and gave me my voice back," retorted Gabrielle.

"I hate to break it to you Gabby but your voice isn't back. I'm the only one that can hear you." "But, but, I just yelled for you at the top of my lungs," sputtered Gabrielle. "You mean to tell me that no one else heard, not even Xena?"

"Nope, not a soul."

"Give me my voice back for real!" demanded Gabrielle.

"If you want your voice back then you need to do what I suggested earlier. Show Xena how you feel. Stop pretending. Stop hiding your true feelings." Aphrodite's voice took on a more compassionate tone as she continued, "Look, despite what you may think, I'm not doing this solely for my own enjoyment. I'd like to think that we're friends and friends want what's best for each other, right? Do you honestly want to spend the rest of your life being Xena's little sidekick and friend? Just her friend?"

Gabrielle gazed steadily at the goddess, her face unsmiling. She was definitely annoyed with Aphrodite for messing with her life like this, for putting her in this impossible position.

"You can be mad at me if you want but I have a feeling you'll be thanking me later. Once you and Xena are floating along in a sea of love," said Aphrodite smiling. "Have fun!" she quipped before disappearing, leaving Gabrielle standing there seemingly frozen in place.

_What in the world am I going to do? _thought Gabrielle. _If I want my voice back, I have to show Xena how I feel. Show her. _She swallowed hard. In that moment she would have gladly chosen to never speak again if it meant she would never have to do what Aphrodite wanted. If it meant that Xena would never have the chance to break her heart.


End file.
